Turbine locomotive



Get. 30, 1945. c. KERRJR TURBINE LOCOMOTIVE Filed Feb. 8, 1943 INVENTOR Charles Kerr, Jr: 4 l I 1 I I ATTO v EY 7'0 Turbine Valve WITNESSES:

Patented Oct. 3.0, 1945 UNITED. STATE TURBINE LOCOMOTIVE 'Charles- Kerr, Jr., Edgewood, Pa.,

Westinghouse Electric Corporation,

assignor to East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 8, 1943, Serial No. 475,108

Claims.

generally, to locomotives to steam turbine locomo- My invention relates, and, more particularly, tives.

On a turbine locomotive it is essential to have a low back pressure at the exhaust nozzles. In order to accomplish this a plurality of smoke stacks may be provided, instead of the usual single stack, to reduce the drop through the stacks to a minimum, thereby reducing the draft required and hence reducing the back pressure.

However, the foregoing arrangement is objectionable in that, at light loads, the velocity of th smoke through the stacks will not be suflicient to eject cinders and to lift the smoke up over the operator's cab at the rear of the engine and also up over the train. The lifting of the smoke is essential to provide clear vision for the engine crew and also for satisfactory operation of the air conditioning equipment in the train.

An object of my invention is to provide a simple and efllcient smoke ejection system for a turbine locomotive.

Another object of my invention is to maintain a substantially constant velocity of gases through the stacks of a locomotive.

A further object of my invention is to control the opening of the exhaust nozzles of a locomotive in accordance with the load on the locomotive.

Other objects of my invention will be explained fully hereinafter or will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

In accordance with my invention valves are provided in the exhaust nozzles of a locomotive for controlling the flow of steam therethrough. Since the amount of gases moved through the stacks is essentially proportional to the load, the openin and closing of these valves is so controlled by the position of the main engine throttle that a substantially constant velocity of the gases is maintained.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of my invention reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of a portion of a locomotive having exhaust nozzles embodying my invention; and

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the nozzle valves and the control device illustrated in Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, the structure shown therein comprises a portion of a locomotive boiler 30 which is provided with four exhaust nozzles l I,

openings 28 in the valve for the l2, l3 and H and four smoke stacks 2|, 22, 23 and 24 for discharging the smoke produced in a firebox l9, only a portion of which is shown. As explained hereinb'efore, a plurality oi. smoke stacks and exhaust nozzles is provided in order to decrease the back pressure on the steam turbine which supplies the power for driving the 10- comotive. v As shown in Fig. 1, one of the exhaust nozzles is disposed directly underneath each one of the smoke stacks. Accordingly, the exhaust steam which fiowsfrom pipe I5 and out through the exhaust nozzles draws the smoke through the stacks. The boiler is provided with the usual baflles l6, I1 and I8 for directing the flow of smoke through'the smoke box 20.

In order to maintain a substantially constant velocity of smoke through the stacks for variations in the load on the locomotive, a valve 25 is provided in each one of three of the exhaust nozzles, no valve being provided in the fourth nozzle it. Each valve comprises a plate 26 rotat-' ably mounted on a fixed plate 21 secured on the inside of the cylindrical nozzle. The fixed plate is provided with a pair of openings 28 and the rotatable plate is provided with a similar pair of openings 29. Each one of the rotatable plates for the nozzles II and I2 is connected to a link M by an arm 32. The rotatable plate for the nozzle [3 is connected to a link 33 which is connected to the link 3| by a bell crank lever 34, mounted on the side of the nozzle i2. The link 3! is connected to a throttle lever 35 which controls the supply of steam to the turbine (not shown) in the usual manner. Guide members 36 for the links,3l and 33 are provided on the sides of the nozzles.

As shown in Fig. 2, the openings 28 and 29 are of such a size and are so located in the plates 25 and 2'! that all three of the valves are completely closed when the position. Therefore, all of the exhaust steam from the turbine when operating at idling speed must flow through the nozzle 14 and. its corresponding smoke stack 24. When the throttle is opened to load the openings 29 are over the exhaust nozzle ll, thereby permitting exhaust steam to flow through this nozzle and it corresponding stack 2|. When the throttle is on /2 load the openings in the rotatable plate for the nozzle l2are moved over the openings in the fixed plate in this nozzle, thereby permitting steam to flow through this nozzle and its corresponding stack 22. It will be noted the turbine through a throttle is in the "0fl that the openings 28 in the rotatable plate for the exhallts nozzle II are of sumcient size that steam continues to flow through this nozzle. 7

When the throttle is opened to load the openings 29 are moved over the openings 28 in the nozzle [3, thereby opening this valve along with the valves in the nozzles l2 and Ii. All three valves remain open when the throttle is opened to full load. The valves close in the reverse order as the throttle is returned toward the "oiP position.

In this manner the number of stacks which are operating is proportional to the throttle opening and, therefore, is proportional to the load on the locomotive. Since the volume of gases which is moved through the stacks is' essentially proportional to the load, it will beseen that the present arrangement of valves provides a means of maintaining a substantially constant speed of the smoke emitting from the stacks over the entire load range of the locomotive and at the same time aifords a means for attaining a low back pressure on the turbine.

It will be understood that valves of a different type from that herein illustrated may be utilized if desired. It will also be understood that the present scheme is applicable to a locomotive with any number of stacks.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above described construction and difierent embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit'and scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a locomotive, the combination with a firebox and a smokechamber therefor, 01 a plurality of smokestacks for the smokechamber, an exhaust nozzle for each stack, said nozzles being disposed to exhaust steam through said stacks to create a draft through the firebox, smokechamber and stacks, a valve for each nozzle to control the exhausting of steam therethrough, a throttle device for the locomotive, and means actuated by the throttle device for opening said valves successively as the throttle is opened and closing said valves successively as the throttle is closed.

2. In a locomotive, the combination with a firebox and a smokechamber therefor, of a plurality of smokestacks for the smokechamber, an exhaust nozzle for each stack, said nozzles being disposed to exhaust steam through said stocks to create a draft through the firebox, smokechamber and stacks, valves for certain ones of said nozzles to control the exhausting of steam therethrough, a throttle device for the locomotive, and means actuated by the throttle device for opening said valves successively as the throttle is opened and closing said valves successively as the throttle is closed.

3. In a locomotive, the combination with a firebox and a smokechambur therefor, ofa plurality of smokestacks for the smokechamber, an exhaust nozzle for each stack, said nozzles being disposed'to exhaust steam through said stacks to create a draft through the firebox, smokechamber and stacks, a valve disposed in each nozzle to control the exhausting of steam therethrough, a throttle device for the locomotive, and means actuated by the throttle device for opening said valves one after another as the throttle is opened and closing said valves one after another as the throttle is closed.

4. In a locomotive, the combination with a firebox and a smokechamber therefor, of a plurality of smokestacks for the smokechamber, an exhaust nozzle for each stack, said nozzles being disposed to exhaust steam through said stacks to create a draft through the firebox, smokechamber and stacks,'valves disposed in certain ones ofsaid nozzles to control the exhausting of steam therethrough, a throttle device for the locomotive, and means actuated by the throttle device for opening said valves one after another in one sequence while the throttle is being opened and closing said valves one after another in the reverse sequence when the throttle is being closed.

5. In a locomotive, the combination with a firebox and a smokechamber therefor, of a plurality of smokestacks for the smokechamber, an exhaust nozzle for each stack, said nozzles being disposed to exhaust steam through said stacks to create a draft through the firebox, smokechamber and stacks, valves disposed in certain ones of said nozzles to control the exhausting of steam therethrough, a throttle device for the locomotive, and means actuated by the throttle device for opening said valves one after another in one sequence while the throttle is being opened and closing said valves one after another in the reverse sequence when the throttle is being closed, at least one of said nozzles having no valves therein and being open at all times during operation of the locomotive.

, CHARLES KERR), JR. 

